Mary Berrys Chicken Casserole Food

CHICKEN AND RED WINE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Put the shallots in a large bowl with the garlic, herbs and wine. Mix, then add the chicken breasts, season with salt and black pepper and marinate for at least 1 hour. When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
• Sit a colander over a large saucepan and strain the marinated chicken, reserving the shallots, bay leaves and thyme. Dab the chicken with kitchen paper to dry it.
• Heat the oil and 50g/1¾oz of the butter in a deep ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish. Add the chicken breasts and fry on a medium-high heat, for 5-10 minutes each side, or until browned all over - you may need to do this in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Meanwhile, set the pan with the wine marinade over a high heat and boil, for 5-10 minutes, until the volume of liquid has reduced by a third. Add the flour to a bowl with 150ml/5fl oz water and whisk until smooth. Stir in a little of the hot wine, and add this mixture to the rest of the wine in the pan. Keep hot.
• Add the bacon to the frying pan or casserole dish and fry over a high heat for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Add the reserved shallots and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until they start to soften.
• Add the hot wine sauce and tomato purée to the frying pan or casserole dish with the sugar, reserved bay leaves, thyme, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened and add the browned chicken. Bring back to the boil, cover with a lid and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a medium pan and fry the mushrooms over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until just cooked. Add to the chicken casserole just before serving. Remove the bay leaves and thyme from the casserole and serve the casserole hot with mashed potato and shredded cabbage.

MARY BERRY'S RATHER SPECIAL CHICKEN AND HERB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3. Place the bacon in a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes to render out the fat. Add the onions and continue to fry until the bacon is brown at the edges. Transfer the bacon and onions to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside. Lightly season the chicken. Place the oil in the unwashed dish, add the chicken and brown over a high heat, turning once. Transfer to the plate with the bacon and onions. Scatter the flour into the dish (adding a little more oil, if needed) and stir to combine. Gradually incorporate the hot stock, whisking, and allow to thicken. Pour in the wine and return the bacon, onions and chicken to the pan. Stir well, add the thyme sprigs, sage sprigs and bay leaves. The sauce will be quite thick at this stage. Bring to the boil, season well with salt and black pepper and cover. Transfer to the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and add the mushrooms and crème fraîche. Stir well and return to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove the bay leaves, thyme and sage sprigs from the casserole and discard (some leaves will have fallen off to flavour the casserole). Stir in the parsley and serve with the crisp sage leaves on top. Mary's Tips: Can be made up to a day ahead. Add the crème fraîche and mushrooms when reheating. Freezes well.

CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a casserole dish and season with salt, pepper and paprika.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cover and put into the middle of an oven for 1 1/2 hours at 180C
• Serve with rice, quinoa or potatoes.

MARY'S HOT CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Toss it all together lightly
• Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan
• Sprinkle with one can Chinese noodles
• Bake at 350 degrees until it bubbles.